Kwiminqweno yam, xa ndizibona ndiphuncuka kuphithizela lobomi kwisiqithi esikude, ndiselunxwemeni olumanzi ilanga, olunentlabathi emhlophe ejikelezwe ngamanzi aluhlaza-uyazi, iMaldives. Mhlawumbi kwenye indawo kwiCaribbean. Andidlali kwindawo ekude yolwandle enamatye, apho ubushushu obuphezulu bumalunga ne-50 degrees Fahrenheit, nokuba kusehlotyeni.

Kodwa yiloo nto kanye endayifumana kwisiQithi seFox, esihlala embindini weKenai Fjords National Park yaseAlaska - enye yezimbalwa iipaki zesizwe ifikeleleka kuphela ngesikhephe. Ukufika apho, kuthatha indawo entle, eglasi ukukhwela uloliwe KwiAlaska Railroad ukusuka eAnchorage ukuya eSeward, kulandele uhambo lwemizuzu engama-45 lokuhamba ngesikebhe ukusuka eSeward ukunqumla eRurrection Bay.

Ihlala igqunywe yinkungu yesiporho, iFox Island yaziwa ngamatye ajijekileyo, amanzi acocekileyo, kunye namanxweme agutyungelwe ngamatye athe tyaba, agudileyo alungele ukutsiba. Indawo ekuyiwa kuyo-kufikelelwa kuphela kwinkampani ye-adventure (kunye nendawo yokuhlala) Ukuphishekela uKenai Fjord Tours -Ivulelekile kuphela kubakhenkethi phakathi kokuphela kuka-Meyi ukuya ekuqaleni kuka-Septemba (kulo nyaka, ixesha lisongwa ngo-Septemba 1), ke ifestile yokufumana amanxweme ayo amangalisayo imfutshane. Kodwa, njengoko bendifundile, kufanelekile.

NjengeNew Yorker, i-adventure yangaphandle yam iquka ukuhamba imizuzu eyi-10 ukuya kwiProspect Park kwaye mhlawumbi unqamle i-Great Lawn. Ngenye imini, ndasebenzisa ithuba lemizuzu eli-15 yokufunda ngesifundo sasimahla se-kayaking kwi-East River. NgeAlaska ibhiyozela unyaka wayo wama-60 wokuma, ndaziva ngathi ixesha lilungile kukhenketho, nangona ndandinomdla wokuhamba ngePursuit kwaye ndinexhala lokuba kungaziva uvavanyo lwam. Iphakheji (ukuqala kubusuku obubini kwi- $ 1,340 umntu ngamnye, ngokusekwe kukuhlala kabini) kubandakanya ukukhwela isikhephe ukuya nokubuya eSeward ukuya esiqithini; izidlo eziqaqambisa izithako zaseAlaska zasekuhlaleni; kunye nohambo lwe-kayak lweeyure ezimbini. Ngandlela thile, ndiyeka ukuba kuthethwe ndiphucule ukhenketho lwemihla yonke, nditsalelekile ngesithembiso se-puffin kunye nokubona kweengonyama zolwandle.

Ngobusuku bam bokuqala kwesi siqithi, kwabakho isaqhwithi esikhulu. Akukho zivelisi zamandla, akukho WiFi, akukho mathelevishini, kunye nenkonzo yeseli enamabala kwiikhabhathi (indawo yokulala inesikhululo sokutshaja kunye nabasebenzi banonxibelelwano lwe-backup kwilizwekazi), ke ngoko kuye kwanyanzeleka ukuba ndikhuphe iplagi. Owona mthombo wamandla esiqithi ngamandla elanga (athe ngokothusayo anikezela ngamanzi ashushu athembekileyo nombane, ngaphandle kwenkungu). Ikhabhathi nganye ixhotyiswe ngekopi yomculi waseMelika u-Rockwell Kent's Wilderness: Ijenali yoQeqesho oluzolileyo eAlaska, athe wayigqiba emva kokuchitha ubusika bango-1918 ukuya ku-1919 kwesi siqithi. Ndingenanto yimbi, ndiye ndavula isahluko sokuqala ndaza ndalinda ukuba kudlule imvula.

Ngentsasa elandelayo, ndaya kwindawo yokufundela ndayalela indlela emfutshane-emfutshane yokufundisa nge-kayak nguDanny ovela eSunny Cove Sea Kayaking, eqhuba lonke ukhenketho oluvela eFox Island ngentsebenziswano noPursuit. Ndiqinisekisiwe nguDanny ukuba into yokuba laligqunyiwe yayiyinto elungileyo-ilanga lihlala lizisa umoya, okwenza ukuba kubenzima ukuhlala nkqo kwikayak. Kodwa kwakamsinya nje ukuba sityhale, ndaziva ndingaphandle kobunzulu bam, njengoko oogxa bam babedlula ngokulula kum kwaye iingalo zam sele zibethekile. UDanny wayenomonde, kwaye wabonisa (kwakhona) kum indlela yokubamba i-paddle yam ukuze ndingabi buhlungu.

Kwaye emva koko, wandixelela ukuba ndijonge ngasekunene, apho ndadibana nodonga olukhulu lwelitye olunamakhonkco. Ndikhwaze, ndathatha ikhamera yam, ndayikhomba kwi-chubby, iintaka ezincinci ezivuyayo zibhabha zisijikelezile. Kungekudala, iiyure zaphela xa sibheqa inqanawa, sibona ezinye i-puffins, iingonyama zolwandle ezinoboya kunye neenkozi. UDanny wasikhokelela kwidolophana efihliweyo ebizwa ngokuba yiHumpy Cove, apho ulwandle luhlangana khona nomlambo wamanzi acocekileyo ogcwele i-salmon evelisa amanzi kwaye ondliwe yingxangxasi enkulu. Ama-otters omlambo nawo atyibilika ngaphakathi nangaphandle kwamanzi athi molo. Ilanga laphakama phezu kwamafu. Ndiyenzile, kunye neengalo ezimbini eziphantse zinobungqina njengobungqina. Ngobo busuku, emva kwesidlo sangokuhlwa esikhethekileyo salmon kunye neefiddleheads, ndalala kamnandi.

Iingonyama zoLwandle, iAlaska Wildlife Safari Ityala: UKylie Fly

Ngentsasa elandelayo ukhenketho lweeyure ezintandathu kwiKenai Fjords National Park yayikhazimla ngendlela entsha, njengoko sasityibilika ngaphaya kwemikhenkce emikhulu emithathu, kuquka neAilik Glacier, apho sasimisa phakathi kweengqimba zomkhenkce odadayo ukuze sive ukuzala kwaso. Kuhambo lwethu lokubuyela eSeward, sadlula iminenga kunye neeorcas, kunye nezinye iingonyama zolwandle, iimbatyisi kunye neepuffins.

Ekugqibeleni, eyam yayiyeyona nto incinci ye-epic adventure eAlaska ekufuneka inikele ngayo. Nokuba yeyakho uhambo lweentsuku ezili-10, ukuhamba ngeenyawo kwiPaki yeSizwe yaseDenali, ukuskiya e-Girdwood, okanye ekubonakaleni e-Katmai National Park, ngunyaka wokuba kwenzeke oku.